Wednesday 17 September 2014

A Grand Isle indeed

Parati
Parati
  We have had three weeks here in the Ilha Grande area, how time flies. What a special place this is. We are surrounded by lush green mountains, it seems that around every corner there is a white sand beach, the water is a beautiful green-turquoise and there are multiple bays tucked behind headlands or islands in which to drop anchor. Just about every day is sunny and warm, I think we have had fewer than a handful of grey cloudy days.




We have walked beaches, kayaked, swam and (my new favourite) played beach tennis. To top it all off, the island of Ilha Grande  has a network of hiking trails surrounding the island. So you drop anchor in a bay, swim, kayak or dingy in to shore, walk to one end of the beach and pick up the trail. They are generally well sign posted and well trodden. Because of the elevations here you are guaranteed to get the heart rate up and a good sweat on !.
Walking on Lopes Mendes beach, possibly the worlds nicest beach?



Downtown Abraau. Tourist and provisioning hub of the Island

Hiking in the hills

There's Zooropa!  


Small fishing village
 One more week of this and then it's off to Rio.